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The Good, The Bad & The Verdict: Bojack Horseman – Season Four

Hello friend, it is I, Evan J. Pretzer and I am here with another lovely and hopefully well-written review to provide you with a guide to some of the entertainment out there that I consume and think you may enjoy as well.

Though I wanted to talk about the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s acclaimed novel about a spooky clown/allegory for child sex abuse that is IT, my current employer will be running my movie reviews that I decide to do now and then. So, this week, I’m here to talk about the latest season of Netflix’s acclaimed animated television show about a depressed and sentient horse named Bojack Horseman (Will Arnett) who in a lot of ways reminds me of myself, somewhat.

When we last left the former Horsin’ Around star, his former cast member had died when accompanying him on a drug bender, his friends had all abandoned him save Diane (Alison Brie) and occasional frenemy dog Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Thompkins) was preparing to run for Governor of California.

The Good

Like seasons past, this season shines with its painful emotional honesty and the brilliance of its various celebrity guest actors. The criminally underrated Andre Braugher shines here in a small but crucial role and Will Arnett continues to prove that he deserves a meaty live-action dramatic role instead of the endless glut of acclaimed and occasionally terrible comedies he seems to be stuck with.

We learn a lot more about Bojack’s family this season, see that things we’d previously thought about his mom, dad and childhood aren’t what they appeared to be on first glance and by the time the season ends, the Secretariat star is an a hopeful, but unfamiliar position to him. Those who have had experience with a genealogist could relate to it. Elsewhere, Amy Sedaris’s cat agent Princess Carolyn goes through one of the most crushing storylines I’ve seen in some time on a television show and Aaron Paul’s Todd grows beyond his slacker past.

The Bad

Though the season is as-usual well-written, I can’t help but describe it as aimless. There doesn’t seem to be a season long arc that pins all the episodes together and storylines just seem to crash into each other with little to no thought. One moment we’re following Mr. Peanutbutter and his quest for power and the next scene we’re slammed into Bojack’s life and his interactions with people from his family before things quickly slam back to Todd and his hijinks. Honestly, it was as mismatched as Nolan’s third Batman film. Too poorly paced and jarring for any viewers.

The Verdict

I liked the season, but I wasn’t moved by it. Season 3 made me cry at points, Season 4 made me just say “Hmm…that’s sad.” In the future, R.B.W and his team would be wise to have less wheel-spinning moments and make sure that a central arc ties a season together. Otherwise, all we’re left with is a hodge-podge of stories and human/animal misery that becomes desensitizing.